A cheeky Wayne Bennett joked the Rabbitohs may have a party after a “gutsy” 20-16 win over the Eels saw South Sydney move further away from a potential wooden spoon.

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Bennett-coached teams had never finished last in his 37 years of coaching in the premiership, but there was a point where the injury-ravaged Rabbitohs looked at risk of becoming the first.

Last week’s win over the Titans, however, along with Saturday’s victory against the Eels has Bennett in a far more comfortable position.

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Gold Coast needs to win its final three games of the season to unseat South Sydney, who still has a bye up its sleeve, and with the Titans facing finals hopefuls the Warriors and Dolphins in the next fortnight it is looking incredibly unlikely that will happen.

So, is it a reason to celebrate for Bennett?

“Very unlikely (that the Rabbitohs will win the spoon) is it? Do we have a party now or do we wait?” Bennett cheekily asked after Saturday’s win.

The Rabbitohs are hardly deserving of the spoon given the fight they have shown amid a mounting injury toll, which only grew larger after centre Bayleigh Bentley-Hape suffered a head knock early against the Eels.

Bentley-Hape was a late replacement for Latrell Mitchell, who Bennett said should return next week after struggling with a “bulging disc and a lot of movement in his shoulder”.

The Bentley-Hape head knock forced the versatile Tallis Duncan into the centres, with Bennett lauding his man of the match performance with two tries, 101 metres and five tackle busts.

“When Latrell didn’t play and then we lost Hape in the 15 minute mark, that was the next player I put in the centres, it was the sixth player in the club that’s because the other five were injured,” Bennett said.

“So, that’s what makes it really special… Tallis finished up winning the player of the match. He’s not a centre, but he’s done a great job there for us and couldn’t have done any better, so that’s been the real pleasing part. Just (to) keep putting their hands up, doing their best.

“He started off as a middle interchange player. I think that’s his position. So then we put him on the edge because of injuries and he did a great job there and then because of more injuries, we put him in the centres and he’s been outstanding in the centres.”

Undersized fullback Jye Gray was also a standout for the Rabbitohs, continually putting his smaller frame on the line in defence to come up with a number of try-saving plays.

“He (Gray) was good, but there’s a lot of other players out there good with him,” Bennett said.

“His efforts (were) pretty special, but as I said, he wasn’t without friends that were not putting in great efforts as well.

“He’s confident in himself and likes playing fullback, so it’s working for him pretty good right now.”